


A Desire Without an Attempt

by NoOneKnowsIWriteThis



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: First Kiss, Flirting, M/M, Season 1
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-03
Updated: 2017-11-03
Packaged: 2019-01-28 19:10:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12613452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NoOneKnowsIWriteThis/pseuds/NoOneKnowsIWriteThis
Summary: Doctor Bashir approaches Garak in his shop one night and offers the Cardassian everything he could ever wish for.-“This is what you wanted, right?” Bashir gasped as they broke apart. “When you approached me in the replimat?”





	A Desire Without an Attempt

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Ameera](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ameera/gifts).



Garak was working late in his shop. He was developing a Cardassian-inspired design that he knew he would never actually have reason to bring to life. The neckline wasn’t as wide and low as was fashionable on Cardassia, but it dipped low enough to reveal the collarbones. The sleeves on the other hand were flowing and very short, rather than the tighter, wrist-length style favored by Cardassians. For the color, Garak was favoring cream. It would clash with the particular gray of his scales, but it would work beautifully with the complexion of one Doctor Bashir.

 

As if summoned by thought, Bashir stepped across the threshold and entered the shop. He was out of uniform for once, wearing a pale blue wrap shirt that revealed just enough collarbone to tantalize paired with a simple set of dark gray slacks.

 

“Ah, hello, doctor,” Garak greeted as he shut off the PADD he’d been working on, hiding the incriminating work.

 

“Hello, Garak,” Bashir returned a bit distractedly as he made his way over to Garak’s work table.

 

“I take it your dinner with Lt. Dax did not go well.” Garak set the PADD aside and began to tidy up.

 

“Oh, it was fine,” Bashir replied with a wave of his hand. “Jadzia’s lovely, you know. She really is.”

 

Garak stopped what he was doing and looked at his young friend. “If she’s so lovely and your date went well, then what are you doing here with me when you should be in your quarters with her?” This seemed out of character for Bashir. From what Garak had observed and what Bashir had shared over lunch, the young man was not the type to turn down an offer from a beautiful young woman, especially one he had pursued so persistently.

 

“Well, it’s just…” Bashir’s expression shifted to a thoughtful frown, the kind he wore when he was trying to puzzle out something during their lunch debates. “I think I’ve been confusing old with mature. Dax is certainly _old_ , but she’s certainly _not_ mature. And that’s what I think I really want, someone mature, someone that can guide and teach me.”

 

Garak felt his heart racing as Bashir expressed the exact sentiment Garak had hardly dared to hope he would.

 

Bashir looked up with his beautiful warm eyes, his pink tongue darting out to nervously moisten his lips.

 

“Someone like you, Garak,” Bashir said softly.

 

Garak’s mouth fell open in surprise. “My dear…” His words were failing him.

 

Taking charge, Bashir grabbed Garak’s tunic and pulled him in, crashing their lips together in a forceful kiss.

 

“This is what you wanted, right?” Bashir gasped as they broke apart. “When you approached me in the replimat?”

 

“Hmm?” Garak asked, still a little dazed by how quickly everything was happening.

 

“You touched my shoulders as you left. That was an invitation to pursue you. I did some research,” Bashir said with a smirk.

 

“And now, months later, after being rejected time and again by Lt. Dax, you’ve decided to take me up on my invitation?” Garak pulled away, out of Bashir’s reach. “Forgive me if I’m a bit unbelieving, my dear.”

 

Bashir gave him a wounded look. “I told you, Garak. I realized that I was fooling myself with her, that _you_ are who I _really_ want.” Bashir’s eyes turned even more pleading at Garak’s skeptical look. “I’ll _prove_ it to you,” Bashir protested. “I’ll give you information, whatever you want, then we can flee to Cardassia together before Starfleet finds out.”

 

Understanding hit Garak like a tidal wave. This seduction had never been in earnest, it had all been a trap, and a poorly planned one at that. Bashir was too eager and had played his hand too quickly.

 

Garak walked around the table and grabbed Bashir’s upper arm.

 

“Well, if that’s how you feel, my dear doctor.” Garak led Bashir to the turbolift and called for it to take them to ops. Once the doors closed and Bashir couldn’t flee, Garak released him.

 

Bashir looked desperately at Garak. “ _Please,_ Garak. I _want_ you. Why are you fighting this?”

 

Garak opened his mouth to answer when the turbolift stopped and opened to admit two uniformed Starfleet officers: an annoyed-looking Doctor Bashir and a surprisingly affectionate Lt. Dax.

 

Garak felt his heart sink as the new Bashir looked between Garak and his doppelganger. He had absolutely no idea how he could possibly explain this situation, so he decided to head off any questions by asking the obvious one. “Doctor Bashir, why are there two of you?”

 

“I was going to ask you the same question,” the uniformed Bashir replied with a baffled expression.

 

“I rather like the idea of two Julians,” Dax purred, slipping between the two doctors and sliding her hands onto their shoulders.

 

The uniformed Bashir frowned and muttered “Stop that. It’s not funny.”

 

The other Bashir, the one that had approached Garak in his shop, pulled away from Dax’s affections with a scowl and placed a delicate hand on Garak’s arm. “I’m not interested in _you._ I’m only interested in Garak,” he said with a fond smile at the Cardassian.

 

Garak sighed and removed Bashir’s hand. He dared a glance at the uniformed Bashir’s face and found his eyebrows raised, making his eyes appear even larger.

 

Garak’s gut twisted as he realized which of the two Bashirs present was likely to be the real one.

 

\--

 

The day after the imagination incident, Bashir, in uniform this time, walked into Garak's shop. Garak had been dreading this interaction from the moment he'd fled ops with his fantasy version of Bashir trailing behind him like a wounded puppy.

 

“Ah, doctor,” Garak greeted pleasantly. “What can I do for you?”

 

“Look, Garak, we should talk,” Bashir said as he walked over to where Garak was adjusting one of his displays. “About what happened yesterday, I-”

 

“I heard that your imaginary version of Lt. Dax did not endear you to the real one,” Garak said quickly, cutting Bashir off. “I’m sure that’s an experience you’d rather not relive.” Garak smirked at Bashir’s embarrassed blush before moving to reorganize a display rack.

 

“Stop avoiding the real issue!” Bashir followed behind Garak.

 

“Real issue?” Garak asked, feigning ignorance. He’d hoped that he could embarrass or distract Bashir into dropping this topic, but unfortunately that plan hadn’t worked.

 

“You have feelings for me!”

 

“Oh?” Garak schooled his expression one of surprise and curiosity and turned to glance at Bashir. “That’s news to me. Whatever gave you that impression?”

 

Bashir let out an exasperated sigh. “Dammit, Garak. Your imagination produced a fantasy version of me! Just like mine produced one of Jadzia.”

 

Garak tilted his head and frowned as if trying to think. “I don’t recall that.”

 

“I _saw_ you,” Bashir stated emphatically. “In the turbolift.” He seemed very sure of himself. Clearly he thought there was no way for Garak to get around this evidence. Garak would just have to prove him wrong.

 

Garak let his expression shift, as if a thought had just occurred to him. “Oh my… Doctor...did you imagine me fantasizing about you?”

 

Bashir silently blinked as he processed what Garak had suggested. _“What?!”_ he asked when he finally managed to speak.

 

“That is very convoluted and rather narcissistic of you.” Garak smirked. “I hope I wasn't as submissive as Lt. Dax.”

 

“No, wait…” Bashir’s expression turned to one of puzzlement as he began to believe Garak’s story. “Garak...are you lying to me?” he asked a little desperately.

 

“Can’t you keep track of your own imagination?” Garak asked, turning back to the rack he was working on.

 

“I didn’t _think_ it was my imagination,” Bashir said, clearly confused. “I’ve thought before that you were interested in me, but I suppose if you’re not then it could have been some sort of fantasy…” Bashir trailed off as his mind began to run itself in circles.

 

Garak could have let the matter end there, however there was one point Bashir had raised that Garak couldn’t ignore. “You’ve suspected I had feelings for you?” he asked.

 

Bashir shrugged with a sheepish smile. “Well, we _have_ been flirting.”

 

“ _I’ve_ been flirting,” Garak muttered. “You’ve just been having friendly debates.”

 

“Which _is_ flirting in Cardassian culture,” Bashir countered with a victorious smile. “I’ve done some research. Iloja of Prim was _very_ helpful. I’m interested in you, Garak.”

 

“What about the Betazoid you had drinks with last week or the Lieutenant you took home from Captain Stadius’s reception before that?” Garak asked warily.

 

Bashir chuckled. “Brief flings with predetermined end dates. Neither one of them were going to stay on the station for long.”

 

“And your infatuation with Lt. Dax?” Garak narrowed his eyes. He wanted to believe that Bashir was in earnest, but the man did have a reputation for a reason.

 

A rueful sigh escaped Bashir’s lips. “She made her disinterest painfully clear last night.” Bashir gave Garak a sly smile. “Besides I’m very capable of being infatuated with two people at once. I’ve been pursuing you nearly as long as I’ve been pursuing her.”

 

Garak frowned. “You'll forgive my skepticism, but you've hardly appeared willing to dedicate yourself to one person.”

 

“Am I not allowed to explore other options?” Bashir asked wryly. “You certainly weren’t going to make any clear moves. ...Look, if you want me to prove that I’m serious about this, I’ll pursue only you for however long it takes, but I’m not going to do that unless you give me some kind of sign that you’re seriously interested too.”

 

Taking that as his cue, Garak wrapped one hand around Bashir’s waist, pulling him close, and lifted one hand to the back of Bashir’s head, drawing him into a kiss. Bashir first melted against him and then eagerly kissed back.

 

“Would you consider that an adequate sign?” Garak teased as he stepped back.

 

Bashir gazed at him with such a fond, lovestruck look that Garak almost threw caution to the wind and proposed a serious relationship right then and there. But instead he smiled and said “Perhaps next week you could take me out to dinner in addition to lunch.”

 

Bashir grinned. “Monday at Quark’s?” he suggested.

 

“Why not that Terran bistro that just opened instead?” Garak countered. “You are trying to impress me, after all.”

 

“Monday at the bistro. I’ll meet you here.”

 

Garak smiled his approval and nodded. “Until Monday, my dear doctor.”

 

“I’ll count the moments, my dear Garak.”

**Author's Note:**

> Surprise! It's If Wishes Were Horses. I'd tag it, but that would spoil the twist. The premise was originally Ameera's idea.  
> -  
> The Betazoid and Lieutenant Garak mentions towards the end were both brought up by Jadzia in the beginning of the original episode. And Fantasy Bashir's question "Why are you fighting this?" is deliberately echoing Fantasy Jadzia from the original episode as well.  
> -  
> The title is part of a quote from Farmer's Digest (as best I could source it): "A wish is a desire without an attempt."


End file.
